Storm description, surface observations, snowfall totals, and images courtesy of the National Climatic Data Center, the National Centers of Environmental Prediction, the Climate Prediction Center, the Hydrometeorological Prediction Center, the Mount Holly National Weather Service Office, the Upton National Weather Service Office, Rutgers University, Plymouth State University, the University of Illinois, the American Meteorological Society, Weather Graphics Technologies, AccuWeather, and the Weather Channel.
Table of Contents
Storm Summary
Regional Surface Observations
National Weather Service Forecasts
Surface Maps
Satellite Imagery
Sea Level Pressure and 1000 to 500 Millibar Thickness Maps
850 Millibar Maps
700 Millibar Maps
500 Millibar Maps
300 Millibar Maps
200 Millibar Maps
National Radar Imagery
Local Radar Imagery
Fort Dix Doppler Radar Imagery
Contoured Snowfall Totals from March 3, 1997
STORM DESCRIPTION
A run of unseasonably warm weather was brought to an abrupt end on the 3rd as a storm from the Lower Mississippi Valley brought snow and sleet to southwestern, central and northern New Jersey.
Synoptic Discussion
A strong cold front passed through the northeast on the 2nd allowing a much colder airmass to move into the region during the night of the 2nd and morning of the 3rd. Meanwhile, a low pressure developed along the tail end of the front in eastern Texas on the morning of the 3rd. It moved into the Tennessee Valley on the morning of the 3rd before jumping the Appalachians and redeveloping near Norfolk, Virginia during the evening of the 3rd. It then moved out to sea quickly overnight.
Local Discussion
Precipitation overspread New Jersey during the morning and early afternoon of the 3rd. In east central and southwestern sections of the state, precipitation type was partially intensity driven: when it became lighter it mixed with or changed to sleet and rain, while during heavier bursts it went back to all snow. From Mercer and Middlesex counties northward, it was generally all snow. Precipitation tapered off to flurries or drizzle during the mid to late evening. Accumulations were 1 to 2 inches in Gloucester, Camden, Burlington, and Monmouth counties, 2 to 3 inches in Mercer, Middlesex, Union, and Hudson counties, 3 to 4 inches in Hunterdon, Somerset, Morris, Passaic, Essex, and Bergen counties, and 4 to 5 inches in Sussex and Warren counties.
New Jersey Snowfall Totals
Individual Snowfall Totals from March 3, 1997
Table of Contents
Storm Summary
Regional Surface Observations
National Weather Service Forecasts
Surface Maps
Satellite Imagery
Sea Level Pressure and 1000 to 500 Millibar Thickness Maps
850 Millibar Maps
700 Millibar Maps
500 Millibar Maps
300 Millibar Maps
200 Millibar Maps
National Radar Imagery
Local Radar Imagery
Fort Dix Doppler Radar Imagery
Snow and ice storm, January 9, 1997
Snow storm, January 11, 1997
Snow storm, February 8-9, 1997
Snow storm, February 14, 1997
Snow storm, March 3, 1997
Snow and ice storm, March 9-10, 1997
Snow storm, March 31-April 1, 1997
Snow storm, April 18, 1997
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